Car-fender.



No. 63!,933. Patented Aug. 29, I899. R. FORWOOD.

C A R F E N D E R (Application filed Apr. 8, 1899.)

(N0 Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REGINALD FORWOOD, OF PARIS, TEXAS.

CAR-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 631,933, dated August29, 1899.

Application filed April 8,1899. fierial No. 712,318. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REGINALD FORW'OOD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Paris, in the county of Lamar and State of Texas, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Car-Fenders, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of devices known ascar-fenders; and it has for its object to provide a fender which may bemanufactured at a comparatively small expense and may be readilyattached to and removed from a car without altering the construction ofthe car in any manner Whatever.

The invention also contemplates a construction which will not seriouslybruise or injure a person struck thereby and will absolutely preventsuch person from falling beneath the car, the construction being suchthat any one coming in the path of the fender will be gently moved toone side of the car and outside of the track-rails, so as not to bestruck by the passing car.

The invention will be fully understood from the following descriptionand claims when Taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a side view of a part of a car, showing my improvementsapplied with one of the rollers in vertical section and the belt or bandbroken. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, there being no parts insection; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the supporting-frame withthe rollers removed.

Referring by letter to said drawings, Aindicates a part of a car whichis shown for the purpose of illustrating my improvements applied, and Bindicates my improved fender. This fender comprises threevertically-disposed rollers which are sustained in a frame attached tothe platform end timber of a car or other suitable part thereof. Theframe which I prefer to employ for this purpose is of a skeleton formand comprises a lower horizontal section a and an upper similar sectionI), both of which are of substantially triangular form in outline,having journal-apertures c at the angles, which are designed to receivethe journal ends of the rollers D and E. These sections of the frame,which are disposed horizontally, bringing the journal-aperturesvertically, are also disposed parallel and are connected by means ofvertical cross-bars F. These cross-bars are here shown as comprisingintegral parts of the lower section of the frame; but it is obvious thatthey may becomposed of separate pieces and secured to said section inany suitable manner, as by bolts and nuts. I have also shown thesevertical cross-bars as having a bend or shoulder 01 at a suitableelevation for the purpose of resting upon the platform end timber G ofthe car, and these shoulder portions have holes a to receive bolts, asf, which also take 6 through holesin the timber G to fix the frame, andconsequently the parts carried thereby,

to the front of the car. The upper ends of the bars F may be turned atan angle, as shown, and provided with holes to receive securing-boltstaking through corresponding holes in the inner ends of the upperframesection. This frame may be constructed from steel or other suitablematerial and the manner of attaching the same to a car may be variedaccording to the fancy of the manufacturer. The rollers which I preferto employ should be constructed of some light material and theirsurfaces covered with a cushion H, of rubber or the like, so that aperson coming in contact therewith may not be seriously injured or badlybruised, and such rollers areprovided with journals 9 at each end totakeinto the apertures c in the frame B.

' It will be seen that I have a roller adjacent to the car and disposedvertically above each track-rail, and a third roller E is arranged inadvance of the first-named rollers and above one rail only, so that saidrollers when viewed in plan form atriangle, and these rollers areconnected by an endless band I, which is also vertically disposed andcovers the peripheries of the rollers. This band maybe composed ofcanvas or other strong material having sufiicient elasticity to give tothe impact and yet 5 when striking an object will impart a rotativemovement to the rollers, over which it is drawn. By this means it willbe seen that should an object be in the path of the car or between therails of the track when struck by the fender motion will be imparted tothe belt or band, which will cast off the object and move the same outof the plane of movement of the car without injury. V

In the present illustration 1 have shown the fender as extending tonearly the height of the dash of the car; but in practice the height maybe varied as may be found most desirable. The lower ends of the rollersand the belt or band taking over the same should extendsufiicientlyclose to the road-bed or rails as to prevent an object fromgetting beneath.

One great advantage claimed for this fender and which accounts for itsone-sided appearance is that it will throw a person to one side of theroad or street, and in case of double tracks the advantage is moreclear, as there would be very little chance of a person getting betweenthe tracks. The majority of accidents arise from people attempting tocross the track in front of an approaching car, and the fender isdesigned to throw a person away from either track.

- Having thus described my invention, what I claim is I 1. Thecombination of a car arranged to travel on a track, and a fendercomprising a frame connected with the car, upright rollers mounted insaid frame at the opposite sides of the track; one of said rollers beingarranged in advance of the other, and an end- 1 less band of flexiblematerial passed around the rollers and having its forward stretch dis- 1posed diagonally to and extending the full width of the track,substantially as specified.

2. The combination of a car arranged to travel on a track, and a fendercomprising a frame connected with the car, an upright roller mounted insaid frame at one side of the track, upright rollers mounted in theframe and arranged one in advance of the other at the oposite side ofthe track; the foremost of the latter rollers being also arranged inadvance of the first-named roller, and an endless baud of flexiblematerial passed around the rollers and having its forward stretchdisposed diagonally to and extending the full width of the track,substantially as specified.

3. The frame comprising the upper and lower sections having alinedapertures which in plan are disposed in a triangle; in combination withthe rollers having their ends journaled in said apertures and cov'eredwith a cushion, and a belt or band connecting the rollers so as toimpart a rotative movement thereto, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

REGINALD FORVVOOD.

Witnesses:

NEVILLE ,BnooKs, E. G. GIBBONS.

